Exercising apparatus



Jan. 31, 1933.

L. M. PER-SONS EXERCISING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 6, 1929 Ans Patented Jan. 31,` 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAWBE'NE Iii. iimtsois', or sr. Louisfmrssouai, Assioma 'ro-THE marasmaV ELEG- 'r'mc mrc. co or sr. LOUIS, mssocm, A CORPORATION or `Missouri:

:exEncIsINo AIPARATUS Application inea november e, 1929. serial iv,-4o5,ov4.

:Y An object of thek invention is to providel a support for the motor and operatingparts of an exercising apparatus of the vibrating belt type, which constitutes a compactV housing for the apparatus when not in use and which may be extended to provide .a rigid support for the apparatus when the same is adjusted for use. n l

The detailed advanta es of the construction will be apparent rom the following descriptiomtake'n in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus adjusted for use. j f

Fig. 2 is a vertical section substantially O11 the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view substantially on the same line, showing the apparatus in the folded or closed adjustment. Fig. 4 isa detail view similar to Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing the cabinet is shown as comprising a housing formed from sheet metal. The side walls 1 and the back wall 2 may be conveniently formed from a single vsheet of metal having the free front edges turned in laterally and then backwardly to form the vertical side posts 3. The bottom ywall/ is united to the bottom edges of the j yside and back wall,and rectangular top facing members 5 are mounted along the top edgesI of the side walls 1. These parts assembled as described constitute a rigid housing having a front and top opening. The

front opening is closed by a front wall 6 having inturned side flanges 7. VThe member 6 is hinged to the side ports 3 at its lower end, so that it may be moved outwardly to form an obliquely inclined platform extending forwardly from the housing when theY apparatus is in open adjustment and, when thev apparatus is in closed adjustment, may be folded upwardly to complete the vertical walls Off the closed housing.

The bottom of the cabinet is supported by 5 feet 8 at the four corners. The outer face of the member 6 carries at its free extremity a plurality of feet 9 extending transversely across the same near the edge thereof. The `feet 9 are preferably in the form of rubber rings attached to the member -6 by screws or bolts.

yThe member 6 carries ytransversely of its inner face and near its free edge. a plate 10 having a roughened or knurled surface constitutingy a foot piece on which the user of the apparatus may stand when operating the same.

Aiframe 11, in the form of a U-shaped strap, is mounted within the housing and constitutes a transverse and lateral brace. A bracing construction is provided, comprisingy a rectangularY plate 12 hinged to the flanges 7 of themember 6 and to links 13 exten-ding from the'frame 11 to a point beyond the upper edge of the plate 12. The linksv 13 are connected respectively by pivots 14 to said frame 11 and to a rod' 15 extending transversely between the downwardly extending flanges 16 of the plate 12. A contractile spring 17 is connected at one end adjacent to the vback wall of the housing and at the other end to the rod 15, the tendency of said springbeing vto retract the rod 15 rearwardly and thereby draw vthe toggle connection between the links 13 and the rod 15 over center.- The construe` tion ust described provides a toggle lock `When 4the platform 6 is in extended adjustment, the arrangement bein such that when the platform is in extende adjustment the point of bearing of the load will be on the rear feet of the housing and upon the feet-9 of the platform. AThis adjustment raises the front feet 8 from a horizontal surface and forms a bridge so that the cabinet will be relativelyfree from vibration, keven though the supporting floor upon which the cabinet may bi: mounted may be slightly uneven or irregu ar.

The outer face of the plate 12 is preferably provided with a knurled foot rest 18 for the user of the apparatus when the apparatus is used in seating position, the operator bracing his feet against the upper portion ofthe plate 12 on the footrest 18,.-thereby tendingv tohold the` cabinet i 4 In closing the front wall of the cabinet it is only necessary for the operator to orrasp the upper edge of the plate 12 and brea the toggle lock, whereupon the member 6 will be automatically drawn into closed adjustment by theaction of the spring 17.

Lugs 19 are provided on the inner face of the posts 3 near the top thereof, and constitute abutments for arresting the inward movement of the upper free edge of the member 6. Openings 2O are preferably formed in the side walls 1 immediately below the members 6 and provide hand holes for conveniently engaging the cabinet for moving it from place to place.

IVithin the bottom portion of the housing there is formed a triangulary-shaped chamber comprising an inclined wall 21 and a vertical wallv 22, which chamber provides a convenient receptacle for the leads to the motor. The top ot the cabinet is closed by a lid formed from a iiat .plate 23 having a down turned flange 24 around its front and side walls. The lid is hinged to the members 5 near the back of the housing so that it may be raised and lowered to open or closed adjustment.

The operating portion of the exercising apparatus may be of any convenient construction. As shown, it comprises a motor 25 supported on a base plate 26 hinged adjacent to the rear of tie housing on the hinge pins supported by the inner vertical wall of the members 5. The motor 25 supports a bearing bracket 27 within which a shaft 28 is journaled for rotation and having eccentric crank arms 29 on its opposite ends. A vibrating belt 30 is attached to the crank larms in a known manner. The shaft 28 is driven by any known driving connection enclosed in a housing 31 and not shown in detail as the form thereof is well known.

There is a transverse horizontal member 32 supported across the top opening of the housing. This member constitutes a rest for the base plate 26 o1"- the vibrating apparatus when thev apparatus is in open position. Since the base 26 is hinged in or near the top of thehousing, it may be moved to a lowered position, as shown in Fig. 3, by swinging the operating parts of the apparatus downward.- ly and inwardly into the housing. or it may be adjusted in the upwardly extended position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. lil/Then in the upper adjustment the base 26 is arranged to be locked .by a plate 33, the lower end of which extends over a lug 341; on the rear edge of the base 26, considered from the position when the operating part of the apparatus is in position for operating adjustment. A spring 35 is attached to the inner face lof the lid 23 and to a lug 36 on the base 26. The spring 35 tends to draw the lid 23 forwardly and to cause the end of the plate 33 to engage over the reare'dge 34 of the plate 26,

thereby latohing the base in position. When it is desired to drop the operating portion of the apparatus it is necessary only to exert rearward pressure on the upper edge of the lid 23, which disengages the latch and permits the operating mechanism to be swung inwardly into the housing, whereupon the spring 35 functions to close and hold the lid in closed adjustment.

The power leads for the motor are in a cable 37 that enters through the back wall of the housing, and the switch leads 38 connect into the motor and lead to a point for convenient operation by the operator in starting the motor. The chamber formed by the walls 21--22 constitutes a convenient receptaclefor the Cable 38 and for that portion of the cable 37 that extends within the housing.

While I have described the invention in detail, I do not desire to be understood that I limit myself to exact construction shown and described, but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an apparatus of the class described, a cabinet having one of its vertical walls hinged and its top wall hinged, a plate hing'- edly connected to said vertical wall, links intermediate said plate and the cabinet and pivoted to the cabinet and to said plate lorming wi th the plate toggle links, and a spring having one end connected to one of said toggie links and the other end connected to a. .lixed part of the cabinet, arranged and adapted to cause the toggle links to act as a lock in one position of the plate and to automatically raise the vertical wall in another position of the plate.

2. In an apparatus of the class described a cabinet, Ahaving one of its vertical walls hinged, a plate connected to said hinged wall, links intermediate said plate and the cabinet and pivoted to the cabinet and to said plate forming with the plate toggle links, and a spring having one end connected to one oi' said toggle links and the other end connected to a fixed part of the cabinet, arranged and adapted to lock the links and plate to form a toggle lock between the cabinet and said vertical wall in one adjustment and to automatically raise said wall in another adjustment.

3. A cabinet for exercising apparatus having one vertical wall thereoiA arranged for downward and outward movement, a toggle brace between said wall and the cabinet, and a spring having one end connect-ed to the toggle brace and the other end to the cabinet, arranged and adapted to operate said toggle brace to hold the same in locked adjustment when said wall is in open position and to move the wall to closed position when said toggle lock is manually broken.

LAWRENCE M.` PERSONS. 

